The Foundation

In 1875, Edouard and Louisa Cointreau began putting artists in the spotlight. In the 1980’s, their desire to give meaning to artistic creation finally took shape.

1986

Contemporary Creation Foundation

In 1986, the Fondation Cointreau pour la Création Contemporaine (Contemporary Creation Foundation) was established.
Its mission is to support young artists and introduce the public to their creations in four cultural fields:

Contemporary Dance

Film

Visual Arts

Fashion

An active patron of the arts, the Foundation acts as a sponsor, or more precisely a sponsor of creativity, in support of three key values, DYNAMISM, INNOVATION and CREATIVITY, all core values at La Maison Cointreau since its inception.

1989

The combination of Cointreau and contemporary dance was a successful attempt to invest in a cultural activity worth publicizing.
Three years earlier, no businesses were supporting contemporary dance.
The Foundation took a chance on becoming involved with a virtually unknown discipline that was receiving very little media coverage at the time.
Some of the most notable programs supported by the Fondation Cointreau pour la Création Contemporaine have been:

The Régine Chopinot Company: Défilé in 1986 (toured in France and overseas, including in Italy’s Villa Medici and New York), KOK in 1988-1989 and Anna in 1990

The Bagouet Company: Assaï at the Festival de Montpellier in 1988

The Romances en Stucs season by Daniel Larrieu and Larmes Blanches season by Angelin Preljocaj as part of the Admical Gala in 1987

The 1988 Concours Chorégraphique International de Bagnolet: sponsored a two-year production (1988-1990) of Texane by Claude Brumachon, a Cointreau laureate (with a run at Centre Georges Pompidou in 1988 and a tour of five cities in eastern Europe in March 1990) and awarded the Fondation Cointreau pour la Création Contemporaine’s Grand Prix in 1990.

Les Taureaux de Chimène by Karine Saporta

Chronique du Gravier by Sidonie Rochon

Cointreau and contemporary dance

1990

Cointreau and film

The Foundation created Cointreau meeting points for artists and the press at prestigious film festivals such as the Festival Américain à Deauville, the Festival du Film Romantique in Cabourg and the Festival du Film Fantastique in Avoriaz. It expanded its presence by awarding prizes at the Festival du Film de Comédie in Vevey (1986-1990) and the Festival du Cinéma Nordique in Rouen (1989-1990).

2000

Finally, we come to fashion and the arts. Always at the forefront of the avant-garde, the Foundation contributed to the installation of the Génitron clock, a work by François Scali and Alain Domingo. This extraordinary timepiece was placed in front of the Centre Georges Pompidou and indicated the number of seconds until the year 2000. The Foundation also prompted the republication of the Cité Moderne drawings by Robert Mallet-Stevens as part of an exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of his birth. It supported Michel Guéranger, who, on March 10, 1986, painted a monumental, 16,000 sq. ft. work entitled Peindre le Mont Blanc in the colors of Cointreau cocktails, all while at an altitude of 15,000 ft. And lastly, the Foundation has sponsored fashion shows and parties for various designers, creating custom cocktails for each of them.